User: CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale
Major affective and non-affective disorders, including schizophrenia (SZ), bipolar disorder (BP), and recurrent major depressive disorder (RMDD), affect approximately 4% of the population. The human and financial burdens on society are immense, particularly given that current treatments are rarely curative. Heredity plays a significant role in the development of SZ, BP, and RMDD, with genetic variations increasing the likelihood of developing these disorders. In fact, the combined effect of variations in multiple genes elevates the overall risk of illness.
Our objective is to evaluate the feasibility of using saliva-based DNA collection as part of the clinical follow-up for children born to an affected parent. We will also estimate the prevalence of rare genetic variants known to influence the risk of these disorders in such children in three regions of Eastern Quebec. Additionally, we aim to explore the role of genetics in the early, deviant trajectories leading to SZ, BP, and RMDD, while accounting for other known childhood risk factors, such as cognitive deficits, retinal anomalies, psychotic-like experiences, and childhood trauma.